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Articles on Shakespeare

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A calf-bound 1623 copy of the First Folio edition of William Shakespeare’s plays. Matt Dunham/AP

‘Reade him, therefore; and againe, and againe’. It’s the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio, a monumental project put together by his friends

In the First Folio, 18 of Shakespeare’s plays were published for the first time. With its appeals to patronage and commerce, and praise of his wit, this iconic book preserved the playwright’s genius.
Still from Frank Capra’s ‘It Happened One Night’ (1934). FilmAffinity

What we mean when we talk about romantic comedies

Predictions of the death of romantic comedy have been repeated over time. But it has been with us since before Shakespeare and is still very much alive and in constant transformation.
In what’s called ‘benign masochism,’ some people find the feeling of disgust pleasurable. Ocskaymark/iStock via Getty Images.

Why are so many people delighted by disgusting things?

Going out of your way to get grossed out might seem like a contradiction of human nature. But it serves a strong evolutionary purpose.
High school students have studied many of the same books for generations. Is it time for a change? Andrew_Howe via Getty Images

These high school ‘classics’ have been taught for generations – could they be on their way out?

An English professor takes a critical look at why today’s students are assigned the same books that were assigned decades ago – and why American school curricula are so difficult to change.

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